Do You Know of a Protestant Church that Sings Hymns?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…maybe/probably not exclusively, but at least mixed in or on a regular basis? If so, could you please share? Interested in anywhere in DMV but especially interested in Northen Virginia. Thanks!

What part of northern Virginia. Alexandria has a few and if not can you drive over the bridge and get to PG?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you need to go to less evangelical churches? I’m a lifelong Episcopalian who has almost always attended Episcopalian, Anglican, Lutheran, or Catholic services and all of them all followed traditional liturgies and say hymns from hymnals (though Episcopalians usually print the hymns out in the program so people who aren’t used to church don’t have to look them up). I get a lot of comfort from the traditional words and especially music so I get why you want it I’m just confused by the fact you’re struggling to find it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…maybe/probably not exclusively, but at least mixed in or on a regular basis? If so, could you please share? Interested in anywhere in DMV but especially interested in Northen Virginia. Thanks!

All protestant churches sing hymns.

[Anonymous]

most mega-churches rarely sing hymns.

most churches that have been around forever probably sing hymns.

churches that meet in a school building or another place that is not a church building (gymnastics gym, strip mall) do not sing hymns.

most episcopal churches sing hymns.

presbyterian, i would say , is mixed.

if you find an old school traditional church ... hymns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These totally random questions are odd.

Op, what are you asking for and why do you think some Protestant churches don’t sing hymns? Do you not have a background in attending church and are basing your choice if church attendance on hymns?

OP here -- thanks everyone! The comments are so interesting actually!

I probably should have said "traditional hymns?" I'm dating myself, but I grew up singing hymns from a hymnal. I've lived in this area for over thirty years and have attended or visited many churches in the Northern Virginia area. I'm sure like many other long-time church attenders, I've observed the transition from traditional hymns to contemporary praise music. Some churches mix both in the same service, some have separate services (contemporary and traditional) and some have moved completely to praise music. I've noticed that even churches that have a "traditional" service often sing modified hymns with contemporary arrangements and praise band accompaniment. I grew up in a southern state and wonder if traditional hymns are still more prevalent in southern churches than in this area?

A church's orthodoxy is paramount to me and I realize I should hold my musical opinions lightly and that church is not about me or my preferences. But putting aside whether I am placing too much emphasis on music, I dearly miss the traditional hymns. I used to worry that my children would not know any hymns from church beyond a handful of "biggies" like Great is Thy Faithfulness or Holy, Holy, Holy. Now I am worried the next generation will know zero hymns. Even among fellow church goers, this seems to bother me much more than anyone else haha....

One interesting observation is that I have assumed traditional music would correspond somewhat with traditional orthodoxy -- this does not necessarily seem to be the case.

Thank you for the specific recommendations - I have attended a couple of the churches mentioned already and you might see anonymous me at the next service!

OK, what you don't want is a "praise band". Often those services are separate for young people and sometimes in early evening. Call the church office and ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Methodist

Don't all churches sing hymns? I wonder if you mean more traditional hymns? Our Methodist Church has a traditional service with a lot of hymns with organ but also a contemporary service that has a lot of music but not the traditional hymnal

Also raised United Methodist (not Regular aka fire and brimstone Methodist) and grew up singing 2-3 hymns per service. My parents go to Centreville Methodist and I sing hymns when I attend with them.

[Anonymous]

Church of the Resurection in SE uses the Booknon Commin Prayer and the Anglican hymnal. There’s almost nothing in that hymnal written after 1900, most are from 1700s, 1500s, today even one translated from Greek in 110 CE. Not going to find more traditional than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:25 poster

I agree with you that even churches that advertise a traditional service maybe have one traditional hymn and the rest modified praise songs.

It is hard to top "It is well with my soul", "Amazing Grace," and "Onward Christian Soldiers"

Episcopalians dropped Onward Christian Soldiers a few decades ago, as being too militant, if OP really wants that one.

My Episcopal church in Purcellville still sings it! But we kind of for things in a bit more orthodox way than other Episcopal churches

[Anonymous]

At our Anglican church, the earliest service has only hymns and high liturgy. The one at 10:30, less so, the one at ll:00 is family and even less so. The one at 5:00 is a praise band. Call the office and ask

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Methodist

Don't all churches sing hymns? I wonder if you mean more traditional hymns? Our Methodist Church has a traditional service with a lot of hymns with organ but also a contemporary service that has a lot of music but not the traditional hymnal

Also raised United Methodist (not Regular aka fire and brimstone Methodist) and grew up singing 2-3 hymns per service. My parents go to Centreville Methodist and I sing hymns when I attend with them.

NP. I was also raised Methodist and miss the traditional hymns. I like the more contemporary songs, too; I just wish that there was a healthy mix of both, I suppose. I’ve tried out 4 or 5 different Methodist churches in my area (throughout Western Fairfax and Eastern Loudoun) and all seem very heavily into the contemporary music. Even the Christmas services have focused more on contemporary music. No “Silent Night”, etc.
I think part of the problem is that I have young kids and have been looking at churches with active youth programs, and I guess this doesn’t line up well with traditional music.